Dontrelle Willis Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1221
ERA	4.172
WHIP	1.434
BB/9	3.686
SO/9	6.604

Full name Dontrelle Wayne Willis
Born 01/12/1982 in Oakland, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Encinal
Debut 05/09/2003
Drafted in the 8th round (223rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2000.

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Willis is described by scouts as a poor man's C.C. Sabathia--the strapping lefthander drafted in the first round by the Indians in 1998. At 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, Willis isn't as imposing as Sabathia, but he has excellent athletic ability, arm strength and makeup. He has performed exceptionally this spring in a two-way role, going 10-1, 0.70 with 111 strikeouts and 20 walks in 70 innings as a pitcher and hitting .600-8-31 as a first baseman.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Willis was the key player in the spring trade that sent Matt Clement and Antonio Alfonseca to the Cubs. His stock rocketed as he dominated two Class A leagues. He was shut down with a bruised triceps, but he threw on the side at instructional league without incident. Willis creates excellent deception with an unorthodox delivery he says he learned from his mother as a child. Throwing from a low three-quarters arm slot, he induces lots of groundballs and awkward swings. His improved fastball tops out at 93 mph, and he can cut it and sink it. He added depth to his slurvy breaking ball and gets sink out of his changeup as well. His command is excellent and he rarely leaves balls up in the zone. Willis' slider tends to flatten out and his changeup is inconsistent. He must pitch inside to righthanders more effectively. After his injury, Willis learned he wasn't doing his shoulder exercises correctly. His delivery can be violent and his fielding must improve. After opening eyes throughout his new organization, Willis figures to return to high Class A to start 2003.
While the Cubs are looking for lefthanders for their big league rotation, they had no shortage of southpaw starters last year at short-season Boise, which had the best regular-season record in the Northwest League. Felix Sanchez came up at the end of the season, while Willis, Carmen Pignatiello and Adam Wynegar went a combined 19-7. Willis, a NWL all-star who led the league in innings, is the best prospect of the latter group. His curveball is his top pitch right now, and he already has an average fastball at 89-91 mph. Because he's big, lean and athletic, he projects to add velocity, which will give him a second plus pitch. While he's still working on his changeup, he already has command and an understanding of the importance of pitching aside, both well beyond his years. Willis will go to Lansing this year, where he could be part of a prospect-laden rotation with Jae-Kuk Ryu, Angel Guzman, Sanchez and possibly Sergio Mitre.

Minor League Top Prospects

Since the start of spring training, the Marlins have traded Antonio Alfonseca, Matt Clement, Ryan Dempster and Cliff Floyd. The best prospect they received in that purge was Willis, who had kept a low profile in the Cubs system. That wasn't possible in the MWL, where he dominated for four months before moving on and doing the same to the high Class A Florida State League. Willis' command and location are more impressive than his stuff. Quad City manager Jeff Carter's club faced him twice and saw a total of three pitches above the waist. "If you just grade his pitches, you'd say I don't know," a National League scout said. "If you watch his command and how hitters react, it's something entirely different." Batters don't get good swings against Willis' lively 88-93 mph fastball, plus curveball and changeup. He pitches to both sides of the plate and generates deception with a slightly herky-jerky delivery.
Several managers liked Willis better than Guzman, and most agreed their opinions of the teammates were a matter of personal preference. Willis, who pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen in his pro debut last year, finished second in wins to Guzman. He's a couple of months younger and has a lanky, projectable frame. Willis has an 89-91 mph fastball and a solid curve. McFarland said his changeup has a ways to come to be an average big league pitch. A quick worker, Willis showed an aggressiveness and willingness to work inside--rare in a young pitcher. However, his delivery isn't as smooth as Guzman's. "He's very athletic," Stanley said, "and that usually leads to good control. He showed us a good breaking ball and solid fastball for a lefty."